Downey Celebrates Third Annual Film Festival

By Tammye McDuff

The city of Downey is host to many exciting events. 2014 has witnessed a brand new series from Rooftop Entertainment, a FIFA street festival and the second annual upcoming Dia De Las Muertos street festival.

But Downey is also home to a little known event, The GlennFest Film Festival, occurring annually every October.

In cooperation with The Downey Arts Coalition and Krikorian Premiere Theatres, GlennFest brings artistic and independent films for viewing that would otherwise only be shown in Hollywood or Los Angeles.

For the third year running, GlennFest 2014 offered free screenings of a new vampire trilogy Crimson Winter; the United Kingdom’s factually based LGBT movie ‘Pride’; ‘Pirates of Penzance’, a film based on the classic comedy opera and the first Japanese animation film to be shown at the Krikorian, ‘A Letter to Momo’.

GlennFest is named after film buff and festival organizer Glenn Stephens, who when looking to start his own film festival decided to target Downey, because the area is underserved with independent and interesting contemporary films. “I just loved going to different movies that no one really has the opportunity to see. There are very few independent and specialty films that are offered in this area, so I decided to begin my own film festival,” says Stephens.

HMG-CN was extended the special opportunity to view the first screening and pre-release of the first in a new vampire trilogy ‘Crimson Winter’. The film is an ambitious independent tale of Vampire Prince, Elric, whose life spans thousands of years, travels to the New World to build an army large enough to seek revenge on his family.

While gathering forces in the new American wilderness, he falls in love with a human whom he cannot turn. The tale moves into modern times to find that Prince Elric has been looking to fulfill a vampire legend and prophecy. Crimson Winter is the first full-length feature of Interwoven Studios.

An after party was held at Epic Lounge in Downey and hosted by GlennFest, where HMG was able to interview producer Isaac Marble and musical genius William Piotrowski of Nox Arcana. Marble has produced several films for Interwoven Studios while working with Big Screen Entertainment Group. Piotrowski and the band Nox Arcana are famous for their dark Gothic sounds that grace the grounds of Knott’s Scary Farm and Haunted Universal Studios.

GlennFest will also be hosting a private screening of a new children’s film October 18th at the Krikorian Theater for special needs families. Each year the film is supported by local businesses, and offers the kids free drinks and snacks.

For more information, to support the film festival or attend a special screening contact Glenn Stephens at glenn@glennfest.com.